It was smooth sailing for the Emporia State volleyball team with setter Kayla Nolte back at the helm.
After missing two games over the weekend with an injured toe, the freshman led ESU with 41 assists in a 30-24, 30-28, 30-20 sweep over Southwest Baptist Tuesday at Bolivar, Mo.
The Hornets took the opening game relatively easily but faced a tougher challenge in Game Two down 26-22.
It was then that ESU rattled off six straight points to regain the lead. Arica Shepard and Hannah Carter posted back-to-back kills a few minutes later to give the Hornets the 30-28 win.
ESU led only 20-19 in the third game before going on a tear. The team scored 10 of the final 11 points — led by three Jennifer Remmereid kills — to take both the game and the match.
Mandy Chutskoff paced the Hornets with 13 kills. Shepard added 10 kills and also 12 digs.
Starting libero Courtney Aguilar again was out of the lineup after suffering an injury in last Saturday’s match against Missouri Western. Amy Byfield replaced her, contributing 11 digs.
ESU (10-9, 4-3 MIAA) will face No. 4-ranked Truman 7 p.m. Saturday at White Auditorium.